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Warren L Jones Sportsmanship Award

"To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die."—Thomas Campbell

The working dog world lost a tremendous friend and advocate in 2012. The Warren L. Jones Sportsmanship Award is made in memory of Warren and in recognition of his generous service to the dog sport community.

Recipients

2017 Tim Karchnak

Congratulations to Tim Karchnak for receiving the 2017 Warren L. Jones Sportsmanship Award. Thank you, Tim, for all you do for the AWMA, and well deserved.

This award is given each year in memory of Warren, who represented the best in sportsmanship and the sport of IPO in the dog world. Tim is a shining example of the meaning of sportsmanship, from his demeanor in national and world events, win or lose, to the training of his club members in stressing the importance of sportsmanship and professional behavior within the trial experience. He has stepped up to become an AWMA judge - a task requiring tremendous commitment of personal time and finances. Tim demonstrates and projects the very qualities that we remember seeing in Warren Jones, and the AWMA is most fortunate for everything he contributes in making our organization better.

2016 Waine Singleton

Waine has been a member of AWMA since 2006. He is pro dog sport of any kind and gives back tot he dog sport committee on a regular basis. His club has hosted AWMA Nationals, AWDF Championships, multiple helper seminars, AWMA training day coookout get-togethers and always has 1-2 club trials per year. In 2013 when he hosted the AWMA Nationals, a special trophy and sponsorship was created for any youth who wished to enter to cover the cost of entry. Even after decoying countless championships, he attends at least one helper seminar per year in order to keep up his helper skills but also to help teach the new helpers and to take dogs anytime he can. In 2016 he completed the requirements to become and AWMA judge. He's been the North Regional Director for several years and has grown the region in numbers of trials and clubs. When he's not hosting, being the helper or competing, you can find him in the group, laying tracks or volunteering and sometimes simultaneously while hosting/decoying. At the 2015 AWDF championship where he was a helper he was seen walking onto the field to meet a fellow helper and carrying his sleeve off for him. His contributions to and love for the AWMA and the sport are great.

2015 Shari Lipski

Put simply, if we didn't have Shari, we may not have our FMBB teams. Shari has been the "glue" that has held our World Championship/National Events Committee together. For many years she has spearheaded all the efforts that go into getting our teams to the event, including the updating of qualification criteria, receiving entries and checking them for completeness, coordinating uniforms and the team captain, contacting the FMBB to ensure entries and payment are received, helping competitors with transportation and accomodations, troubleshooting issues at the event, and handling the myriad of details that go into making sure we are represented. She has coordinated with and reached out to potential agility competitors. Additionally, she was instrumental in setting up the processes by which we cooperate with the USMRA to send a Mondio team. Whenever the AWMA board has asked her to solicit input fromt he WC/NE Committee, she has done so in a timely manner, often spearheading important initiatives for the organization. A key point is that Shari is not presently competing in IPO, her love is agility, but her dedication to the Malinois extends to all aspects of their working ability. Her contributions to the AWMA are extensive and ongoing, and she is deserving of recongition.

2014 John Wiitanen

The recipient of the 2014 Warren L. Jones Sportsmanship Award is Mohawk John Wiitanen. Mohawk has been a staunch supporter of the AWMA for many years. A few years ago he volunteered for and was responsible for the creation and sales of t-shirts and other apparel for the AWMA. He and Paula hosted a fabulous National Championship in Michigan with the best judges’ dinner ever that was home-made food at their home. He hosted the AWDF Championship with the largest entry ever. He helped set up the AWMA facebook page and makes routine contributions to it. He has also consistently had an AWMA member club that has held a trial every year. Whenever there has been something that needed to be done he’s stepped forward, even though he has not been an officer or committee member. He’s one of our most active and supportive club members and worthy of recognition. Congratulations, Mohawk!

2013 Anne Camper

Anne was chosen to receive the 2013 Warren Jones Sportsmanship Award because her commitment to the AWMA embodies so many of the same qualities that Warren demonstrated in all the years he dedicated to dogsport. It was only appropriate to all of us, and everyone on the AWMA board, that Anne should be the first recipient of this award given her dedication to the organization, her never-ending guidance, problem solving, effort and diligence to make the organization better serve its members and last but not least, serve our beloved Malinois.